India tour for top prospect Ryan Gibson

STAITHES all-rounder Ryan Gibson will be packing his bags for the sub-continent in the New Year after being selected for the England under-16s tour to Pune, India.

The 15 year old all-rounder has been in superb form for the Beckett Premier League side this year, while also impressing for Marton on Sundays as they secured the North Yorkshire & South Durham Premier League title. Gibson accrued a massive 1,287 runs in his 28 games, averaging 64.35 in the process.

Date:4th July 2011.'Geoffrey Boycott OBE, former Yorkshire and England cricketer, chats with Ryan Gibson, aged 15, of Whitby, one of the Yorkshire Academy Cricket players and Steve Oldham Yorkshire's Bowling coach during a practise session in the nets at Headingley, Leeds.

Now his top form, which included an 184no for Marton, has led to international recognition and Gibson has already travelled down to Loughborough a gruelling three-day fitness test.

Gibson will travel down to Loughborough again for 10 days later this month and ECB National Performance Manager David Graveney will also be visiting Ryan’s school, Fyling Hall this month to check he is meeting the board’s strict academic requirements.

Gibson will ply his trade in the Yorkshire Premier League next season after agreeing a contract with Yorkshire Academy, and his progress is delighting his dad Les.

He said: “He’s earned this call-up thrugh a lot of hard work and he has put a lot of time into his cricket.

“It involves a lot of commitment and he will now be netting twice a week with Yorkshire throughout the winter too.

“We bought a new car about a year ago and it has already clocked up 29,000 miles, so to see all the time that has been put in makes me very proud.

“He’s got into the Yorkshire set-up the last two years without a trial and he was the top fielder when he went down to Loughborough with the England boys.

“The ECB are estimating that they will spend around £100,000 on each of the young lads that they take on tours with them. Things like nutritionists, physical trainers and physios all cost money and it is great for Ryan to be involved with the set up.”

John Green, Ryan’s coach with the Joe Lumb set-up, isn’t surprised with his call-up. He said: “It’s brilliant news for Ryan and for cricket in this area.

“To have young lads like Ryan, Jack Holt, Linden Gray and John Major all pushing through the ranks and impressing is fantastic.

“He’s a wonderful talent and is a great athlete as well. He’s one of the best fielders Yorkshire have had at this age group.

“He’s a superb opening bowler who takes a lot of wickets and can hit the ball a long way as well with the bat. So he has a great future ahead of him.”